1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift control apparatus and method of a hybrid vehicle, and more particularly, a shift control apparatus and method of a hybrid vehicle controlled by dualizing a brake shift pattern based on whether an engine clutch release is possible when a hybrid vehicle brake pedal is engaged.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A hybrid vehicle is driven by two or more power sources and when a hybrid vehicle brakes for deceleration (e.g., when the brake is engaged), it is controlled to maintain a substantially high motor rotation speed to maximize the charging amount by a regenerative braking. Conventionally, to maintain the substantially high motor rotation speed, the brake shift pattern inducing the shift gear stage to the low stage is used. The method is used to separate the motor rotation speed and the engine rotation speed by releasing the engine clutch when the hybrid vehicle includes an engine clutch. However, during a substantially low temperature condition or substantially low charging state (State Of Charge: SOC), since the output of the battery is limited, the control technology which does not release the engine clutch has recently applied to a hybrid vehicle control technology.
Additionally, by the operation of a driver, even in the situation such as a sports mode or a forced charging mode, the vehicle body is driven without releasing the engine clutch. When the engine clutch is not released as the above described, since the engine rotation speed is synchronized with the motor rotation speed as shown in FIG. 1, and since the engine penetration sound by the high rotation speed is generated, the driver may feel heterogeneity. Accordingly, tuning a shift pattern to the motor rotation speed during the maximum regenerative breaking may be limited.